No. In the past every seed I have ever tried to grow has died. Last year, after reading and re-reading and re-re-reading Jill's seed planting tutorials, I bought a bunch of pepper seeds from a co-op and determined that I was GOING to grow seeds and they were GOING to live!! Peppers love Texas weather, and I had step by step by step instructions - how hard could it be??

So I bought the seeds and my sweet husband put up some shelves and some fluorescent lights on adjustable chains, and I started the seeds. And they grew and grew, and I misted them and babied them, and they grew and they grew...

And they finally got big enough to plant outside, so I took them outside in the spot I had prepared for them, and carefully set them out and labeled them. I had a bunch of seedlings left (because I had planted ALL of the seeds, expecting some of them to die (did I mention I usually kill seeds??), and they had ALL made it, so I had zillions of them), so I potted the rest of the seedlings in tiny pots and took them to church and foisted them on all of my friends there.

The seedlings grew and grew... but only a couple of them fruited. I think we got 2 peppers out of all of those (DOZENS! of) plants. I thought that spot would have enough sun, but it turns out it really doesn't. I had friends stopping me in church for months, though, telling me how great the peppers they were harvesting were. I thought about asking them to share, but decided that would sound a little too pathetic.

So... right now the little atrium that I started the seeds in is filled with wallboard and wheelbarrows and assorted other tools, and although the shelves and lights are still out there, I'm not sure I can get to them.

Long story short (I know - it's wayy too late for that! ) if I plant a fall/winter garden, I think I'll buy my seedlings from the nursery.

I had a horrible sweet bell pepper crop, too! So did most everyone I know, and some I gave my seedlings to. Don't ever forget that there could actually be something wrong with some of the seed strains, AND NOT THE GROWERS!

It's not always user-error...

Anyway, I have my light shelves set up, and if I can get past all this heat, I'm hoping to start sowing seeds this weekend. I'll be sowing seeds for: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, collard greens, lettuce, mustard greens, and spinach.

If all goes according to plan, I'll plant out starting October 8th and staggering out more every 2-3 weeks until around December 21st (the Winter Solstace). That way, not everything will be ready all at once, and I can process every couple weeks or so for the freezer.

Will firebombing work? So far neither my alcohol/neem mixture or the systemic insecticide had gotten rid of those pesky mealy bugs. I can clean them up but they still come back been fighting this battle for a year now. I might be ready for the firebombing cure.

Life is Great! Holly
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I've read that malathion will get rid of the mealy bugs. You may need to use the malathion again two weeks after the first treatment and then you will need to spray regularly with neem oil to control them. I had mealy bugs on my night blooming jasmine last year and they were a royal pain to get rid of. Make sure you treat the soil around the plant as well and if they are in pots, treat the pots. Good luck, I hate those things!!

I have come to the conclusion the mealy bugs are sent to us to see how patient we really are.

I thought I had finally gotten rid of them, but I found more just the other day on three gardenias I have in the house and no new plants have been brought in to carry them. They seem to like the younger and new growth. They are big and ugly as well, I am not sure if that is one or a group together. I just hate those little suckers. I find the Neems mix with dawn liquid and water is the best treatment after a good washing. I usually make sure I spray after the sun is down or in the morning so it dries before the sun hits it. Also look on your containers. They hide in all sorts of places. I think I am going to try and find a way to really exterminate these little buggers but it would have to be natural, not chemical. Good luck all. If anyone comes up with a new cure, let me know. I need all the help I can get.

The fuzzy white things are probably mealybugs if they look like white bits of cotton.

The difficulty with treating mealybugs is that there are always more to deal with than meets the eye. Young mealybugs lack the telltale cotton-like protective coating and they are skillful at hiding in nooks and crannies where leaves and stems join.

The key to successfully eradicating these creatures is to also spray the ones that are out of sight. That means that whatever treatment you select, you must get complete coverage, to the drip point, of all leaf and stem surfaces. If you miss a few, they will live to breed another day.

I missed some of the one plant and sure enough,they started again. It is now outside and full of neems and dawn spray. Get 'em all the first time or you will be sorry. I only have one eye and sometiimes I miss some. Just my luck.